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Your Observer

    By
  • Brynn Mechem
  • February 28, 2019
Sarasota County tests election equipment for Longboat election

Ahead of the March 12 election, Ron Turner and his team tests all necessary equipment to ensure it will work properly on election night.

  • Sarasota
  • News
Siesta Healing owner Karen Mahlios maintains a passion for holistic healing and helping others.
    By
  • Samantha Chaney
  • February 28, 2019
Cancer inspires Siesta Key shop designed to help people

Daughter-in-law's answer to a casual question forms the basis of a family business.

  • Siesta Key
  • News
A courtesy photo from Miriam Zelin's memorial service shows her boots next to the American flag.
    By
  • Amelia Hanks
  • February 28, 2019
Sarasota Military Academy cadets learn from the past with film

Five women tell their military stories in documentary made by students.

  • Sarasota
  • Neighbors
Boog Powell threw out the first pitch Feb. 23 at Ed Smith Stadium.
    By
  • Ryan Kohn
  • February 28, 2019
Meat the team: Orioles food options receive an upgrade

Boog's BBQ, owned by Boog Powell, is now part of the Baltimore Orioles spring training experience at Ed Smith Stadium in Sarasota.

  • Sarasota
  • Sports
Riders can take the Breeze from the Siesta Key Village to Turtle Beach.
    By
  • Samantha Chaney
  • February 28, 2019
Siesta residents raise traffic concerns over Breeze

Frequent stops annoy some drivers, but business and transportation leaders say trolley's effect on traffic numbers outweigh occasional delays.The Siesta Key Breeze Trolley is here to stay, but some residents have more concerns than others.

  • Sarasota
  • News
Anabelle Truong said she likes connecting with people through her poems.
    By
  • Amelia Hanks
  • February 28, 2019
Sarasota has a different TYPE of poet

Booker Middle School students will gladly write you a verse . . . on a machine built before they were born.

  • Sarasota
  • Neighbors
Walter Pawlowski takes a swing with the help of a SoloRider at Sarasota Adaptive Golf.
    By
  • Ryan Kohn
  • February 28, 2019
Tatum Ridge program helps individuals with challenges find their game again

A Tatum Ridge Golf Club program, Adaptive Golf Sarasota, helps impaired golfers find their game again

  • Sarasota
  • Sports
Christina Krug and her daughter, Jovieana, at the 2019 Caring Hearts Luncheon on Feb. 20 at Michael’s On East.
    By
  • Emily Walsh
  • February 28, 2019
Tackling the crisis at the start

First Step of Sarasota addresses both the opioid and child welfare crises with its Mothers and Infants program.

  • Sarasota
  • Opinion
    By
  • Observer Staff
  • February 28, 2019
Longboat Key weather page photo: Feb. 28

Kevin French photographed these juvenile bald eagles on North Lido Key.

  • Longboat Key
  • Neighbors
    By
  • Observer Staff
  • February 28, 2019
East County weather page photo: Feb. 28

Ileene Focht captured these clouds from University Parkway and Cattlemen Road.

  • East County
  • Neighbors
    By
  • Observer Staff
  • February 28, 2019
Sarasota weather page photo: Feb. 28

Lisa Cotner photographed this limpkin at Celery Fields.

  • Sarasota
  • Neighbors
A condominium in The Jewel at 1301 Main St. recently sold for $5.5 million. Built in 2016, it has three bedrooms, three-and-a-half baths and 4,059 square feet of living area. It previously sold for $2.85 million in 2016.Â
    By
  • Adam Hughes
  • February 28, 2019
Condo at The Jewel sells for $5.5 million

Residential real estate transactions for Feb. 11-15.

  • Sarasota
  • Real Estate
Chris Cianfaglione leads a walking tour of the Selby Gardens campus Tuesday, outlining the location of a proposed parking garage on the bayfront property.
    By
  • David Conway
  • February 28, 2019
Selby Gardens updates neighbors on master plan

Despite continued objections from some residents, the botanical garden is still working to allay any fears about its strategies for growth.

  • Sarasota
  • News
The city has designated spaces in the parking garage, a surface lot and alleys for St. Armands Circle employees to park with a permit. Circle businesses are concerned about a potential shortage of permits.
    By
  • David Conway
  • February 28, 2019
City addresses St. Armands parking questions

Businesses are raising concerns about employee parking permits, but city officials believe the new paid parking system is working well.

  • Sarasota
  • News
Construction has begun on a new University Parkway hotel, but the Planning Board rejected a proposal to increase the number of rooms, citing concerns about oversaturating the market.
    By
  • David Conway
  • February 28, 2019
Developer appeals rejected airport hotel plans

A proposal to build nearly 200 new rooms in north Sarasota drew objections from competing businesses. Is that enough to reject the project?

  • Sarasota
  • News
Enjoy this week's edition of Cops Corner.
    By
  • Observer Staff
  • February 28, 2019
Cops Corner: Sarasota 2.28.19

Enjoy this week's edition of Cops Corner.

  • Sarasota
  • Cops Corner
    By
  • Pam Eubanks
  • February 27, 2019
Groups unite for community-building in Lakewood Ranch

Lakewood Ranch Rotary, Alliance hold annual networking event.

  • East County
  • News
Residents from across the county listen as SCAT Interim Director Rob Lewis addresses the commissioners at the public workshop.
    By
  • Samantha Chaney
  • February 27, 2019
Workshop discussion leans toward paid parking

Residents from across the county turned out to voice their concerns and ideas on how to best approach the matter of parking and traffic on Siesta Key.

  • Sarasota
  • News
Linda Nichols of Backyard Bike Shop said season started late this year.
    By
  • Suzanne Elliott
  • February 27, 2019
Longboat's winter season back in black after seeing red

No more red tide for Longboat businesses

  • Longboat Key
  • News
Built in 1988, 682 Mourning Dove Drive has four bedrooms, five baths, a pool and 6,449 square feet of living area.
    By
  • Adam Hughes
  • February 27, 2019
Bird Key home sells for $3.45 million

Residential real estate transactions for Feb. 11-15

  • Longboat Key
  • Real Estate
    By
  • Andrew Atkins
  • February 27, 2019
Walk-a-Thon hits its stride at Braden River Elementary

It was more than a walk in the park.

  • East County
  • Neighbors
Hilda Hamrick embraces her great grandson, Daniel Meiler, at William H. Bashaw elementary on Thursday, Feb. 21.
    By
  • Andrew Atkins
  • February 27, 2019
'Volunteer Extraordinaire' at Bashaw Elementary in Bradenton

“Reserved Parking for Ms. Hilda. Bashaw Volunteer Extraordinaire.”  Now, who is Ms. Hilda?

  • East County
  • News
It was off to the races last year during the Take Stock in Children 5K. File photo
    By
  • Andrew Atkins
  • February 27, 2019
Take Stock 5k coming March 3

The Take Stock 5k Space Race takes place March 3, and it’s the 10th year of the annual event.

  • East County
  • News
Desiree Brown and Mia Pompey. Photo courtesy of Brown.
    By
  • Andrew Atkins
  • February 27, 2019
A place to call home in Manatee County

Local foster parents make the difference in the lives of children through the safe children coalition in Sarasota and Manatee counties.

  • East County
  • News
Jay Rixse delivered a lecture on the President's daily briefing Feb. 19.
    By
  • Andrew Atkins
  • February 27, 2019
LWR Talks features intelligence

Former CIA and Department of Defense official addresses crowd at Lakewood Ranch Golf & Country Club

  • East County
  • News
The Pirates walk off the court after their loss to Tampa Bay Tech.
    By
  • Ryan Kohn
  • February 27, 2019
Pirates' record run ends

Braden River girls basketball team comes up one win short of state semifinals.

  • East County
  • Sports
Josh Young rises for a layup against Gulf Coast High.
    By
  • Ryan Kohn
  • February 27, 2019
Mustangs senior the calm during the storm

Lakewood Ranch High boys basketball senior Josh Young is calm in big-game situations.

  • East County
  • Sports
Customers peruse the jewelry section at last year's Royal Rummage Sale.
    By
  • Katie Johns
  • February 27, 2019
St. Mary Catholic gets ready to rummage

The annual sale will be held from noon to 4 p.m. on Friday, March 1 and 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturday, March 2.

  • Longboat Key
  • Neighbors
Tom Brown, Bea & Dave Erickson, Anne Hanley, Gabriel and Diane Brown Courtesy photo
    By
  • Katie Johns
  • February 27, 2019
Birthday thanks

The Lazy Lobster customers gave their favorite employee a birthday surprise on Feb. 14.

  • Longboat Key
  • Neighbors
Larry Greenspon file photo
    By
  • Katie Johns
  • February 27, 2019
Donation in progress

In June, Greenspon, a Longboat Key resident, donated the initial gift for the refurbishment of the Jewish Federation of Sarasota-Manatee's 32-acre campus.

  • Longboat Key
  • Neighbors
Lakewood Ranch resident Virginia Craig uses tools, like increasing font size, on websites to help her see better.
    By
  • Pam Eubanks
  • February 27, 2019
New look in store for government websites?

Government websites struggle to balance cost, information offerings for Americans with Disabilities Act compliance.

  • East County
  • News
Herrmann's Royal Lipizzan Stallions Gabriella Herrmann and Myakka City Historical Society President Marilyn Coker have known each other since the 1960s.
    By
  • Pam Eubanks
  • February 27, 2019
Myakka group rides for renovations

Lipizzan Stallion performance benefits Myakka City Historic School House project.

  • East County
  • News
Patty Cooper reads a book to Dreya.
    By
  • Katie Johns
  • February 27, 2019
Patty Cooper lends helping hand throughout Sarasota area

The Longboat Key resident volunteers at Children First and Selah Freedom, teaches mahjong at The Paradise Center and is the treasurer of the Longboat Key Garden Club.

  • Longboat Key
  • Neighbors
Robert E. Willis Elementary School fifth-grader Jaxon Lemus, left, is stumped momentarily by a math problem, but quickly solves it.
    By
  • Pam Eubanks
  • February 27, 2019
Math is the star of brain games in Lakewood Ranch

LWR Savvy hosts Math24 tournament to promote academic competition.

  • East County
  • News
Janet Reardon, John Leone and Wilma McCray (front) and Joyce Leone and Ray McCray (behind) review documents related to the case.
    By
  • Pam Eubanks
  • February 27, 2019
Development dispute in Tara begins again

Manatee commissioners to reconsider Lake Lincoln settlement.

  • East County
  • News
Kent Ringquist is the new AD at Lakewood Ranch High. Courtesy photo Madison Aker.
    By
  • Ryan Kohn
  • February 27, 2019
Mustangs pick new athletic director

Kent Ringquist, a physical education teacher at the school, will head the Lakewood Ranch High athletics program.

  • East County
  • Sports
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Latest News

1
Santa greets visitors from the window of 9605 Governor's Club Place in The River Club.
  • December 20, 2025
Christmas decorating isn't just for kids
2
The Family Church caroling crew from left to right is Melody Johnson, Laurie Houston, Nancy Pilato, Pastor Phil Derstine and Terrial Robinson.
  • December 20, 2025
East Manatee church members will go through bars to spread Christmas joy
3
Evidence discovered in the home of 33-year-old Demond L. Smith who was arrested by Sarasota police on multiple charges.
  • December 20, 2025
Repeat felon faces charges in Sarasota drug bust
4
Keera Herbst, Donn Githens, Kim Verreault and Alexa Olivas help celebrate the opening of the new Longboat Key Goodwill bookstore and donation site on Dec. 18.
  • December 20, 2025
Longboat Goodwill officially celebrates grand opening
5
Traffic cleared after fire, bridge malfunction in Sarasota, Longboat
  • December 19, 2025
Traffic cleared after fire, bridge malfunction in Sarasota, Longboat

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